The CEO's remit is obvious, and the PR person (in-house or consultant) is looking at the developing issues on-line and in the media that might afford opportunities or challenges to boosting the organisation's reputation. A good reputation will buoy organisations in good times and bad on all levels, but without reputation, an organisation cannot function effectively at all. Losing a reputation can shut a business down faster than the tax-man, yet how many businesses actively manage their reputation?
Sometimes looking out for reputation issues is just a matter of keeping an eye on the Google news alerts, or more extensive monitoring arrangements. But it's also important to stand back to gain the perspective that comes from distance, and to spot new opportunities.
Having had a few days off, I had the time to look more closely at publications often skimmed quickly or skipped. In one publication alone (the Scottish Chambers of Commerce magazine: Business Scotland), I found:
- A potential associate to help clients find export markets and we have already had an initial chat.
- A supplier that would have allowed me to take on a contract I declined a few years ago because of the disproportionate cost (in my eyes) of protecting us from the inherent currency exchange risk.
- Been inspired by the O2 report showing social enterprises are expected to add an average of £212,000 each to their bottom line, helped by social media. 67% of the 60,000 social enterprises in the UK use social media in their daily business operations compared with around 1 in 10 ordinary small businesses. We're finding even less than 1 in 10 businesses using social media regularly in the business groups we speak to on the subject.
